According to a spokesman for Ford Motor Co., something like 120 Illinois police agencies have already dropped out of a class action suit alleging the Crown Victoria police cruiser is unsafe, and more police officials are likely to follow. The most likely explanation is Ford's refusal to sell new Crown Vics to police departments that join a class action. Explains the Ford attorney, "If you think the vehicle is unsafe � we don't � but if you do, don't expect us to supply you vehicles."

The Rolling Meadows Police Department is one of the departments that has dropped out of the lawsuit.

Deputy Police Chief Dave Scanlan said he did not even know his department was part of the lawsuit because he never saw a letter informing the city it would be included unless it expressly declined. The department found out about it when it was time to buy more squad cars.